Hello, Foboteers! And welcome to Build-A-Bot Workshop! Not to be confused with Build-A-Bear Workshop. No, this is way cooler.

Before Christmas, a neighbor inquired about a custom Fobot for her husband, Gordon. The problem: Gordon has so many diverse interests, it was overwhelming to pick a starting point. We discussed various options, before coming up with…THE IDEA. Namely, to let Gordon run amuck in the workshop, picking his own parts (under my guidance) and ultimately design his own Fobot. Just like Build-A-Bear, right down to the heart inside, but without the optional tutu. I take that back–he could have had a tutu if he’d wanted one. A metal one. But Gordon’s not that kind of guy. One of the first things he gravitated towards was a cool old tin with a very deco looking “Flash Hand Soap” tin. And of course, with a name like Gordon, it did not require much imagination to come up with a name for the bot. Continuing with the “Flash” theme–that’s a working flashlight for the head. Anti-kickback pawls for the wings echo the zig-zag lightning bolts on the tin. and there’s even a tiny brass greyhound, just like Gordon’s dog. Here’s how it looked after we’d picked all the parts:

And here’s how Flash Gordon looked after I’d put it all together:

Pretty fun, right? So, if you’re in the Raleigh area, and you want to play Dr. Frankenstein, drop me a line and let me know. Oh, and wear closed toed shoes. And maybe think about getting that tetanus shot booster. Because…well, remember those early blog pictures of the workshop, where everything looked so clean and neat? Yeah, it doesn’t look so much like that anymore. And that’s because it’s overflowing with junk. Delicious, rusty, inspiring junk. Consider this your invitation to come play in it today.